Airship.



1.l M. 1111111111rv 4 1 AIBSHIP. APPLIonqIoN 'FILED 111117.13, 1905. nmnwnn JUN; 1 1, 1910. 981,655. Patented Jan. 17,1911.

2 anims-SHEET 1.

J. M,KELLER.

Amsmr. v nAPPLIUA'TIOH FILED FOV. 13, 1905; BBNEWED JUNE 11, 41910.

menndam 17,1911.

` 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JAMES M. KELLER, 0F DETRGIT, DIICHGAN, ASSIGNOR TO KELLER JYIONOLANE fi'e- SHIP COMPANY, DALLAS, TEXAS, A CGRPORATION 0F AREZONA TERRITO Y.

ARSHIP.

nel .om

opeceaton of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 13, 1905, Serial No. 237,010. Renewe. -une 11, 1910. Serial No. 566,358,

To all `whom it may rio/neem:

lle it known that l, JAMES ill. lxlnLLnn, a Citizen of the lUniteol States, residing,` at Detroit, in the county ot 'Vayne, State or lllichigan, hare inrenterl certain new anti useful improtementev in Air-shine; and l (lo declare the following to be n lull, clear, and exact description ol the invention, Such as will enable others skilled in the arl; to which tappertnins to make and use the saine, rei'- erence being,- had. tothe accomp:tnyingl drawings, and to theligures o'i'f reference marked thereon, which form a part olf this specilication.

vThis invention relatesl to dirigible airships for aerial niwigation, and consists in the construction and arrangement of parte hereinafter `fully Set forth :intl pointed out particularly in the claims.

The object ofthe invention is to Qroyitle the balloon or gas bag n'ith aeroplanes which serre to steady the balloon (hiring the flight or the ship, and to inereaee the lifting power of the balloon when the Ship into a parachute,

is under motion, the arrangement being secli as: to enable said neroplanes to be converted shonlrl 'the balloon orejas bag become deflated, preventing the ship falling` with such velocity ne to rack the' cor anti ineohanieni, and injure the aeronaut.

The. above object is attninetl by the strnoture illustrated in the acconipanying rlran' ingrs, in whioli:--

`Figure l is a perspective View el: Ship embodying my invention. inrertetl plan ol" the balloon a.. f

aeroplane anijl paraclnite ai'laelioil thereto,

showing the manner el: norn'nilly holilingf; the parachute in position no :is: to cau:-'e it 'lo serre a5 an aeroplane. Fig. o Q plan rien' et Fig. l.. Fig. il ie a transvoree section through the balloon, showing the parachute when serving a-san neroplnne. Fig. a simila r Section, showing the parachute expanded es when in ,s vice. a 'nl Ythe gan bag; or bal loon collapsed- Fig. ll is a. fragmentary rien' in perspective of one or Ythe lateral brace arno; projiffetingg .fr in the balloon irnme, employed to extend :.ncl Support. `the aeroplanes upon the siffle@ on the balloon. Fig'. T is a fragmentary View in perspelictiye ol. one encl or" the balloon traine, Showing' the manner or' securing the longitudinal here thereon.

Referring to the characters ofy referentie,

pending 'from the nurlor :suie ol the intro.

traine so to ,l l, ecroaS f; the V,tion of ani arme the ribs 2, clearly shown in Preis. 'l

l designates the bag or balloon which iS lornierl ot any suitable material, ancl'is pret erably oblongl in shape with tapered ends. Embracing the gas bag are the circular ribs` Q und connecting Saicl .ribs and extending longitudinally nre 'the stron'tliening` bars 3, Whose opposite entle` nre secured nntler the Collars 4;, which embrace the cylindrical blocks 5 Fig. 7) at the ends ot the balloon trame. The gas bag lies Within the Circular ribs 2 and bars yl'h'e ear G is inacle in any Suitable Shop@ and formeel ot" any suitable material, and iS snepenrletl from the balloon traine by ineens of a. Suitable netting '7 which embraces said. trame anti attached to eairl ear in n man ner Well unilerotootl in the art. The ship is propelled by suitable motor 8 mounted in the car and t' vine,Y a shaft 9 upon the enel or which iai propeller blade l0 locate-o the frnfrfarll entl or' the car. lhc direction et' the snip in. its Hight is controlled by a suitable rueltle ll.

Embracing; the upper portion ot 'the balloon 'traine but tletacheil therefrom, except. at ile enfle, iS a parachute covering if?. lxtending' .longitudinally ot the parachute eo'\- erinjg anfl :seeureil lo the outil' lace thereof are the curved :nul llexible brace rolls 'l2-l. lroieeiine,` laterally 'from tl= i 2 and inounteffl .in sockets lil; attael to eaitl ribs are the nrniS l5 which nurnliori at their out chiite. covering` are the eyelets ltl. throuf which pass the lacing; cortls i9, that ero...

diagonally umler 'the balloon l :intl n'hoeenieeting ends :ire tied, tot f :is 1,.

20, anti Clepenrl witliin reach olf t i alor, as shown in 1,. w" there iacinlrj` corals are clramfn rant, the tloxible brano rolls i3 ae tlrnu'n inu'artlljy again the giclee oli raming' the loarael'lute eoverin to the ripper portie-n et lilieancl entend inwarclly from the 16 to theballoon frame, forming upon opposite sides of the gas bag, flat, diametri-- cally extending wings 21, which serve as aeroplanes that give stability and directness to the fiightof the ship, and also add to the lifting power of the balloon when the ship is driven ahead with the bo.' elevated, said aeroplanes also serving to prevent the rolling of the gas bag during the f'light of the ship.

Should it be necessary to employ the parachute by reason of the collapsing of the gas bag or the escape of the'gas therefrom, the depending ends of the lacing cords 19 are drawn upon to untie the knot, 20, When the descent of the ship will anse the parachute to fill with air and expand it to the position shown in Fig. 5, in Which position, because ot' its great area, it will prevent a rapid descent of the eair, obviating serious injury thereto. In order to support ,the lateral arms l5 when the parachute is in service, guy ropes 22 are attached to the outer ends of said arms', and to the under portion of the frame.

The guard rails 16 not only serve as a means et' securing the parachute covering, and of maintaining the aeroplancs, but said rails also serve to guard the gas bag from possible rupture, should the ship inadvertently encounter some object in its Hight.

The frame embracing` the gas bag holds said bag at all times extended, and obviates the buckling thereof at its `forward end when driven ahead with speed. l

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is :w

l. ln an air-ship,thc combination with the inflatable bag of an embracing frame therefor, a car and the propulsive mechanism supported by said frame, of' a' parachute normally conforming to the contour of the inftatable bag and connected to saidframe and with said car, means for confining the parachute in such position when not ,in service, and means for releasing the parachute to enable it to fill with air.

2. In ar air-ship, the combination with the inflatable bag adapted'to support a car,

a frame-Work surrounding said bag, a parachuteconnected to said frame-Work, means for contracting the parachute around said frame-work and tor extending the margins thereof to form aeroplanes, and means for releasing the parachute to allow it to fill.

In an air-ship, the combination With the inflatable bag, of a frame embracing said bag, a parachute, means tor causing the body ot' the parachute to conform to said frame, means for extending the margins of the parachute to form aeroplanes on opposite sides of the inflatable bag, and extend ing longitudinally thereof, and means for releasing the body of the parachute toen-- able it to fill. Y

Ll. In an air-ship, the combination -With the inflatable bag, o'fa frame embracing said bag, said trame consisting of circular ribs and longitudinally extending strengthening bars connecting said ribs, continuous outer guard rails supported from the ribs of the frame and extending longitudinally thereot' from end to end on opposite sides, a filling between the guard rails and the trame, said filling extending over and lembracing the gas bag and means tor coniining said filling at the juncture of the frame and bag to form aeroplanes on opposite sides.

5. In an air-ship,` the combination ivith the inflatable bag oblong in shape, of a frame embracing said bag having outer projecting guards, a parachute attached at its margins to the outer guards ot' said frame, flexible brace rods running longitudinally of said iarachule, means tor drawing said rods inwardly against the frame of the gas bag' to cause the body oil.' the parachute to conform to said frame and the margins to extend laterally to form aeroplanes, and means for releasing the body of the parachute to enable it to fill.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of tWo witnesses.

JAMES M. KELLER.

Vtnesses E. S. XVI-nimma, I. G. HoWLn'r'r. 

